1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to structured art surfaces and more particularly relates to watercolor, drafting, conservation sculptor and like surfaces and to methods of stabilizing watercolor, drawing and conservation surfaces.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It has been said that the primary principle of aesthetics is order and unity. Following this principle, the watercolorist and draftsman seek unity in their rendition by careful wedding of colors to a drawing or painting surface. Since traditionally, the watercolorist and draftsman apply colors ranging from transparent to opaque, to a paper surface, particular paper surface properties are required for such use. The paper coloring surface is visible and in fact supplies to the painting or drawing an approximation of light, lending all the beauty of light to the painting. The watercolorist and draftsman often seek in their renditions certain qualities and effects which are related to the thickness, surface texture, absorbence, tone and color of the paper they use as a painting or drawing surface.
The term "watercolor paper" is used throughout the specification and claims to mean those papers used by the professional watercolorist for drawing and watercoloring. In the past, such watercolor papers have been either hand made or "mould made" (manufactured on a paper machine of the cylinder type) either in the United States or in foreign countries, principally in France, England and Italy. Recent times have seen the demise of much of handmade paper production, and as a consequence, most watercolor paper in use today is machine made. Traditionally, these papers have been manufactured with a fibre content of all "rag" (cotton fibre), but have not generally been available as neutral (pH 7) papers. Twentieth-century research has demonstrated that neutrality in paper is the most important factor in paper permanence, and further, is more important than fibre composition. It may be stated, therefore, that for maximum permanence it is neutrality in paper, and not simply "100 percent rag content," that is the sine qua non.
Watercolor paper have heretofore been generally available in at least several weights. Current manufacturing offers a range of from 70 lb. (153 gram) paper (referring to the weight per 500 sheets of 22".times.30" paper) to the heaviest generally a 600 lb. (1280 gram) paper. Intermediate weights include 90 lb. (185 gram), 140 lb. (300 gram) and 300 lb. (640 gram) paper. The thinner papers, i.e.; 140 lb. and less possess many delightful qualities of surface and delicacies of tone to warrant their use. However, these thin papers quickly expand and buckle when exposed to the water medium used by the watercolorist. To use the thinner papers, the watercolorist must first stretch and secure the papers to a solid support since it is nearly impossible to paint satisfactorily on a wavy surface. The usual method of stretching the watercolor paper comprises dampening the paper with water and stretching and securing the edge of the paper to the stretcher frame or to a board. The paper is then dried and painted on.
The prior art technique required for employing thin watercolor papers has not been entirely satisfactory except for relatively small sheets, i.e.; 18".times.24" or smaller. Even with the smaller sheets, but particularly with larger sheets of watercolor paper it is difficult to stretch the dampened paper sufficiently to prevent subsequent buckling when a watercolor is applied. Very often the paper will split during stretching or while being worked on. In any event, the appearance of a cockled surface or a split will destroy the desired unity in the artist's rendition as shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, where a watercolor paper 5 has an uneven surface after painting. A further disadvantage is that generally the secured edge of the stretched paper must be trimmed off to finish the painting.
Prior art attempts to solve the problems of dimensional instability in watercolor papers, particularly thin papers, have included pasting the paper on a firm, full support such as hard board and the like. This practice however is severely condemned by art conservators. Writing in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts Publication "How to Care For Works of Art on Paper" (1971; Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 77-157703) Dolloff and Perkinson have stated
"Under no condition should a picture be mounted down merely for the sake of removing a few waves or slight buckling." PA1 "Just as common is the gluing of watercolors onto brown Kraft paper and pulling them tight as a drumhead across a wooden stretcher. This method of mounting should be avoided, since the wood resins and cheap paper will cause stains, and because the constant tension on the picture may weaken the fibers of the paper." PA1 Gluing pictures down indiscriminately is harmful, unnecessary, and diminishes the monetary and aesthetic value of a work of art." PA1 (i) a sandwich laminate support panel having PA1 (ii) a sheet of art paper mounted on a second planar surface of the facing sheets; and PA1 (iii) a layer of water-resistant, cured, neutral pH adhesive interposed between the sheet of art paper and said second planar surface of the facing sheets.
Part of the difficulty results from the undesirability of adhering two dissimilar materials together, each of which may expand and contract differently under the same humidity conditions.
By the method of my invention, watercolor papers are stabilized so that even the thinnest, lightest papers may be used by the watercolorist without first stretching them and without waste resulting from trimming of the borders. The watercolor surface of the invention will not kink or become "dog-eared" like the prior art papers, will not buckle or cockle when watercolors are applied and permit the watercolorist to use the lightest, thinnest papers, unrestricted in size. Even surfaces of 8 and 10 foot continuous lengths are available to the artist by the method of the invention.
As a watercoloring surface, the structured art surfaces of the invention exhibit stiffness, easy handling, a high degree of flatness (making them easy to paint or screen print on), crush resistance and dimensional stability. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate their lightweight, per unit of size, facilitating shipment and handling while maintaining maximum rigidity.
The structured art surfaces of my invention are not limited to use as a watercoloring surface. Draftsmen will find the structured art surfaces of the invention advantageous in place of conventional drafting paper.
The term "drafting paper" as used herein means those papers used by the professional artist-draftsman for drawing works of art. Generally they are similar in composition to the watercolor papers described above. Drafting papers may be finished differently from watercolor paper, i.e.; bear a different sizing. In general, drafting papers, particularly the lightest, thinnest papers have the same stability problems associated with watercoloring papers and will buckle when exposed to high humidity or water. With the art surfaces of the invention, these difficulties are obviated.
Conservators will likewise find the structured art surfaces of the invention advantageous in place of conventional conservation papers or mounting boards.
The term "mounting board" is used herein to mean those papers employed by professional conservators as a base for mounting or backing high quality paper works of art and other valuable paper items such as photographs. Conventional mounting board is made by laminating a peper possessing the desired color and surface characteristics to a substrate of paper or pulp board, the latter made to considerable thickness (0.050" or more) to provide stiffness and rigidity in the finished product. The paperboard substrate is often not made to the same standards of purity as that of the surface component of the finished laminate, especially as to chemical neutrality, with the resultant deleterious effect upon the board's own permanence. In extreme cases, either lack of neutrality or chemical impurity of the heavy component of the finished laminate may cause damage to the art work mounted thereon. The art surfaces of the invention are advantageous over conventional mounting board in that they are dimensionally stabilized even over a wide range of humidity fluctuations and buckling problems as described above are obviated. As conservation or museum boards the surfaces of the invention are also advantageous in that, all of the components of the board are chemically neutral and any art work may be mounted on the board surface without fear of damage from the board itself.
As will be appreciated, the structured art surfaces of the invention may also be employed as forms for paper sculpture, collage and like uses.